Draw-bar and coupling-connector.



1,141,810, PatentedJune 1. 1915.

W. H. MAHONEY.

DRAW BAR AND COUPLING CONNECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 21. 1914 .4 TTOR/VEYS mama H. MAHONEY, or HINGHAM, massncnusn'rrs.

DRAW- BAR AND COUPLING-CONNECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 21, 1914. Serial No. 867,795.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. MA- r oNEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Hingham",in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Draw-Bar and Coupler-Connector, of which the following is a full, clear,'and exact description.

Among the principal objects which the present invention has in view are: to provide meansfor quickly and readily remov ing cou lers fromthe yoke members of railway ve icles; to eifect a saving in the cost of maintenance of yoke members and conplers therefor; to provide a connector for couplers arranged to lit the parts on which it is mounted snugly and to eliminate noise and wear thereof.

Dm'wt'ngs.Figure l is a side view of a forward end fragment of a yoke and a coupler provided with a connector, constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a detail view on an enlarged scale, showing the means for connecting the yoke and coupler shank, the coupler shank being shown as unlocked from the yoke; Fig. 4 is a detail view similar to Fig. 3, the coupler shank being removed; Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5-5 in Fig. 3, showing the coupler shank in its unlocked relation; and Fig. 6 is a similar view, showing the coupler shank vas having been turned to the locking position.

Description-As seen in the drawings, the coupler head '11 has a conventional shape and structure, wherein is embodied the knuckle 12 and horn 13. Said head isih- 'tegrally mounted on a shank 14:- When the shank 14 is rigidly or integrally formed with the yoke, diiiiculty has been experienced, in that when the knuckle of thecoupler head is broken or jammed, as frequently happens, the repair necessitated thereby, consists in removing the coilpler head, shank ,and portion of the yoke, or at least requiring that the suspension straps be loosened or spread, all of which requires time and more or less care. in the present invention, this objection is overcome by providing a separable shank and a releasing lock for the I same. The yoke .15 is centrally slotted to contain the spring 10. At the Forward end the yoke 15 r-j'ovid d with extension arms and 18. m "J and i8 inturned projections 19 and 20. The projections 19 and 20 are flared from their bases totheir ends, forming dovetailed projections. 'The'projections 19 and 20 are wedge shaped in cross section, the smaller end of the wedge being turned toward the larger end of the channels 21 formed between lugs 22 and 23 on the shank. The lugs 22 and 23 are undercut, as shown best in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The undercut of the lugs 22 and 23 corresponds to the incline of the side walls of the projections 19 and 20. The opening between the ends of the projections 19 and 20 is amply sufiicient for the passage of the lugs 23. The lugs 23 are shaped to conform with and to fill the spaces 24 formed by the projections 19 and 20 and the wall 25 of the yoke 15. The wall 25 forms a bearing for the'end of the shank 14 when in service. The cooperation of the inclined faces of the lugs 23 and projections 19 and 20 results in forcing the shank l4 backward in firm contact with the wall 25 of the yoke 15. Coiiperating with the lugs 23' and projections 19 and 20, the inclined "undercut side of the lugs 22 grips the forward sides of the said projections, when the shank 14s is revolved from the position shown in Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawings, to the position shown in Fig. 6.

One of the lugs 23 at the end of the shank 14, is provided with a recess 26, in which a key pin 27 is inserted when the shank is disposed. in service relation, as shown best in Figs. Land 3 of the drawings. The pin 27 is maintained in service relation. by a spring keeper 28. A groove is out in the eXposed end oft-he pin 27 to receive the free end or the keeper 28, as shown best in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

From the above it will be seen, the shank 14c and head 11 formed thereon, may be removed from engagement withthe end of the yoke, by first lifting the keeper 28 and with drawing the pin 27 and then rotating the shank 1-1 until the lugs 22 and 23 are dis posed, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The shank le may nowbe drawn from between the projections 19 and 20 to be re paired or replaced. The reverse order oi the above-stated operation is followed when replacing the shank The key pin is then lifted to permit the rotation of the shank to engage the projections 19 and 20 with the lugs and 23. When the recess 26 hatented June 1, row.

iic

' registers with the key pin 2i, the said key pin is permitted to drop into the said recess to be there retained by the keeper 28.

with. This -strain is transmittted through the knuckle 12, tending to rotate the said coupler heads and. shank 14:. To assist the pro ections 19 and 20 and lugs 22 and 23 in resisting this torsional strain, ,1 provide a fiat key head 29. The shank 14 is hollowed and the rear wall is slotted to permit the insertion of the head 29. The'hea-d 29 is rigidly connected by means of a short shank 30 at the end of the yoke 15, as seen best in Fig. 4: of the drawings. The head 29 is provided to bear on the shoulders 31 when the same are rotated to the service position, best shown in'Fig. 6 of the drawings. It will be seen by comparing Figs, 6 and 2 of the drawings, that the torsional strain exerted by the knuckle 12 of the coupler head 11, is resisted by the shoulders 31 and the key head 29. 1

the members of said aren Claim:

A device as characterized comprising, a yoke embodying a plurality of extended arms, said arms having each an inturned dovetailed wedge shaped projection; a coupier shank adapted for insertion between saidprojections; a plurality of lugs rigidly mounted on said shank in paired relation, pairs being spaced apart and having the ad a cent edges shaped in correspondence with the side edges of said projections; means for locking the said shank in service'position; an elongated key head extensible within the end of said shank; and means provided on said shank to engage said key head when said shank is in service position. p

' In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification'in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM H. MAHONEY.

Witnesses Y E. F. Monsoon, Pump 1). ROLLHAUS. 

